PROJECT
REPORT
Brownfield Action:
Dissemination of a SENCER Model
Curriculum and the Creation of a
Collaborative STEM Education Network
Peter Bower
Barnard College
Ryan Kelsey
Helmsley Charitable Trust
Bret Bennington
Lawrence D. Lemke
Joseph Liddicoat
Briane Sorice Miccio
Angelo Lampousis
Doug M. Thompson
Bess Greenbaum Seewald
Wayne State University
City College of New York
Arthur D. Kney
Lafayette College
Barnard College
Connecticut College
Tamara Graham
Haywood Community College
Hofstra University
Professional Children’s School
Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School
Saugata Datta
Kansas State University
Abstract
Brownfield Action (BA) is a web-based environmental
site assessment (ESA) simulation in which students form
geotechnical consulting companies and work together to
solve problems in environmental forensics. Developed
at Barnard College with the Columbia Center for New
Media Teaching and Learning, BA has been disseminated
to ten colleges, universities, and high schools, resulting in
a collaborative network of educators. The experiences of
current users are presented describing how they have incorporated the BA curriculum into their courses, as well
as how BA affected teaching and learning. The experiences
demonstrate that BA can be used in whole or in part, is
applicable to a wide range of student capabilities and has
been successfully adapted to a variety of learning goals,
from introducing non-science-literate students to basic
concepts of environmental science and civic issues of environmental contamination to providing advanced training in ESA and modeling groundwater contamination to
future environmental professionals.
5
science education and civic engagement 6:1 winter 2014
Introduction
(Bereiter 2002; Collins 1992; Edelson 2002), culminating in
Brownfield Action (BA)
a qualitative ethnographic approach using monthly interis a web-based, interacviews to determine the impact of BA on the learning process.
tive, three-dimensional
Results of these ethnographies showed at a high confidence
level that the simulation allowed students to apply content
digital space and learning simulation in which
knowledge from lecture in a lab setting and to effectively constudents form geotechnect disparate topics with both lecture and lab components.
nical consulting comFurthermore, it was shown that BA improved student retenpanies and work coltion and that students made linkages in their reports that
laboratively to explore
would probably not have been made in a traditional teaching
and solve problems in
framework. It was also found that, in comparison with their
environmental forensics.
predecessors before the program’s adoption, students attained
Created at Barnard Colmarkedly higher levels of precision, depth, sophistication, and
lege (BC) in conjuncauthenticity in their analysis of the contamination problem,
tion with the Columbia
learning more content and in greater depth. This study also
figure
1. Call
for
a
Brownfield
Action
Center for New Media
showed that BA supports the growth of each student’s relaSeminar using the Brownfield Action logo
Teaching and Learning, that shows a contaminant plume from a
tionship to environmental issues and promotes transfer into
factory
migrating
in
the
saturated
zone
the students’ real-life decision-making and approach to caBA has been used for
reers, life goals, and science (Bower et al. 2011).
over ten years at BC for of an aquifer.
BA is one of a small but growing number of computer
one semester of a twosemester Introduction to Environmental Science course that
simulation-based teaching tools that have been developed to
is taken each year by more than 100 female undergraduate
facilitate student learning through interaction and decision
non-science majors to satisfy their laboratory science requiremaking in a virtual environment. In STEM fields, other
ment. BA was selected in 2003 as a “national model curriculum”
examples include CLAIM (Bauchau et al. 1993) for mineral
by SENCER (Science Education for New Civic Engagements
exploration; DRILLBIT ( Johnson and Guth 1997) and Maand Responsibilities), an NSF science, technology, engineercOil (Burger 1989) for oil exploration; BEST SiteSim (Santi
ing, and mathematics (STEM) education initiative. The BA
and Petrikovitsch 2001) for hazardous waste and geotechnicurriculum replaces fragmented, abstract instruction with a
cal investigations; Virtual Volcano (Parham et al, 2009) to
constructivist interdisciplinary approach where students ininvestigate volcanic eruptions and associated hazards; and
tegrate knowledge, theory, and practical experience to solve
eGEO (Slator et al. 2011) for environmental science education.
a complex, multifaceted, and realistic semester-long interdisThese virtual simulations give students access to environments
ciplinary science problem. The overarching themes of this
and experiences that are too dangerous, cost-prohibitive, or
semester are civic engagement and toxins, focusing on toxifiotherwise impractical to explore (Saini-Eidukat et al. 1998).
Through directed role play they also provide opportunities for
cation of the environment, pathways taken by environmental
social interaction and student inquiry into the human element
toxins, and the impact of toxins on the natural environment
and on humans. Readings that have been used to complement
of technical analysis and decision making (e.g., Aide 2008).
teaching using BA include Jonathan Harr’s A Civil Action and
What makes the Brownfield Action SENCER Model
Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring.
Curriculum unique among these STEM online simulations
The pedagogical methods and design of the BA model
is that it includes a significant component of engagement
are grounded in a substantial research literature focused on
with the civic dimensions of environmental contamination,
the design, use, and effectiveness of games and simulations
interwoven with the technical investigations being conducted
in education. The successful use of the BA simulation at Barby the students. The BA simulation is also unique in that it
nard College is fully described in Bower et al. (2011). This arhas been disseminated to ten colleges, universities, and high
ticle describes multiple formative assessment strategies that
schools, and a collaborative community of users has develwere employed using a modified model of Design Research
oped. To the best of our knowledge, BA is the only SENCER
Bower, et. al:, Dissemination of the Brownfield Action Simulation 6
science education and civic engagement 6:1 winter 2014
national model curriculum with a network of faculty collaborating in a community of practice. Moreover, this network
has adapted the original simulation and its related products
for use with a widening diversity of students, in a variety of
classroom settings, and toward an expanding list of pedagogical goals. This paper documents the experiences of ten teachers and professors (in addition to those at Barnard College)
who are using BA to improve student learning and teaching
efficacy, to improve retention in the sciences, and to increase
student motivation and civic engagement. All of these teachers and professors have shared their experiences, course materials, and curricula developed using the BA simulation in
their courses, and the evolution of this collaborative network
has now begun to define the direction that BA is taking. Currently the network consists of environmental scientists, an
environmental engineer, a sociologist, geologist, GIS specialist, a smart growth and landscape architect, and high school
science teachers, all sharing the goal of teaching science from
the perspective of promoting civic engagement and building
a sustainable society. Team members have developed course
content specific to their individual fields of expertise and have
made their course materials available to the community. The
goals of this collaborative network also include telling the
story of the dissemination of BA and thereby encouraging the
dissemination of other successful SENCER model curricula.
Ongoing efforts are being made to expand the BA network,
especially among the hydrogeologic, brownfield, and environmental site assessment community. The BA SENCER Team
has also begun to develop BA for use in online education.
The purpose of this paper is to present the collective
experiences of the college and university faculty and high
school teachers who have incorporated the BA simulation
and curriculum into their courses. The experiences using BA
reported here demonstrate how the BA simulation can be
adapted for use, in whole or in part, for a wide range of student capabilities, and the authors describe how BA affected
student learning and satisfaction. The descriptions that follow include applications of the BA simulation to environmental instruction at the high school level (Liddicoat, Miccio,
Greenbaum), to the fundamentals of hydrology and environmental site assessments at an introductory to intermediate
undergraduate level (Bennington, Graham), and to training both undergraduate and graduate students in advanced
courses in hydrology and environmental remediation (Lemke,
Lampoousis, Datta, Kney). Although many of the applications reported here apply to courses in STEM curricula, BA
Bower, et. al:, Dissemination of the Brownfield Action Simulation is not restricted in its utility to teaching students with advanced STEM skills. Rather, BA has proven to be equally
effective whether it is used to introduce non-science-literate
students to basic concepts of environmental science and basic civic issues of environmental contamination or to provide
advanced training in environmental site assessments and to
model groundwater contamination to future environmental
professionals.
For interested instructors, information about BA and a
guided walkthrough of the simulation can be found at www.
brownfieldaction.org. By contacting the lead author (Bower),
one can obtain a username and password to access the simulation, see the library of documents, maps, and images related
to the simulation and its use in the classroom, and visit the
“User Homepages” where the authors from the collaborative
network describe their use of BA in more detail than is done
in this paper and provide additional documents and maps.
These instructors have expanded the pedagogy of BA by
utilizing the simulation in unique ways and in contributing
new curriculum. In the “User Homepages,” new or potential
users can find an instructor whose use of BA parallels their
own, begin a dialogue, and become part of the collaborative
network.
figure 2. Data can be obtained for surface and
bedrock topography, water table, water chemistry, soil
characteristics, and vegetation as well as data from tools
like soil gas, seismic reflection and refraction, metal
detection and magnetometry, ground penetrating radar,
and drilling. 7
science education and civic engagement 6:1 winter 2014
Teaching High School
Students the Fundamentals
of Environmental Science
complexity, ambiguity, and risk involved in investigating and
remediating environmental problems.
The Barnard undergraduate mentors were familiar with
BA from doing the simulation as part of an introductory science course. The mentoring included weekly assistance with
writing and mathematical exercises, and guidance in writing
a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment report that was
required of each HEAF student. Assessment of the program included weekly journals reviewed by one of us (RK) at
Columbia University’s Center for New Media Teaching and
Learning. The student mentors also provided information
throughout the program on the progress of the students and
their role in the program.
Overall, the students responded well to computer-based
learning, especially the students who perceived themselves to
be visual learners. Videos were especially effective in the instruction, as were hands-on laboratory activities (e.g., sieving
of sand, permeability measurement exercise, measuring movement of a fictitious underground plume in a water model) as
evidenced by open-ended journal responses from the students.
One additional activity mentioned by nearly every participating student was the weekend retreat to Black Rock Forest, a
3,830-acre second-growth forest near West Point, NY, which
Barnard helps to support. This retreat provided the HEAF
students an opportunity to interact informally with each
other and the HEAF staff, their mentors, and the Barnard instructors. Those two days allowed immersion in topics about
geology, biology, botany, and ecology that the students did
not encounter in the urban environment they lived in. As the
12-week program progressed, students frequently expressed
their concern about gas stations in their neighborhood, which
is a potential form of brownfield known to all of them. An
indication of sustained interest in the program was the high
percentage of student attendance, considering the students’
sometimes difficult commute on public transportation from
the five boroughs to Barnard within an hour of when they
were dismissed from their high school. Average weekly attendance was 91% in year one, 98% in year two, and 92% in year
three. Recommendations made by student mentors based on
their experiences with the program include the suggestion
that the mentors be utilized more fully in the instructional
process to allow them to provide more context and other scaffolding support during group work time. This would allow
for less large group lecturing and more peer instruction, as
participants reported benefitting more from structured group
Joseph Liddicoat, Barnard College
Using the interactive, web-based Brownfield Action simulation, a total of 48 public high school students from the five
boroughs of New York City who were enrolled in the Harlem Education Activities Fund (HEAF) were taught environmental science in a way that combines scientific expertise,
constructivist education philosophy, and multimedia during
12-week programs in the fall of 2009, 2010, and 2011 at Barnard College. In the BA simulation, the students formed
geotechnical consulting companies, conducted environmental site assessment investigations, and worked collaboratively
with Barnard faculty, staff, and student mentors to solve a
problem in environmental forensics. The BA simulation contains interdisciplinary scientific and social information that
is integrated within a digital learning environment in ways
that encouraged the students to construct their knowledge
as they learned by doing. As such, the approach improved
the depth and coherence of students’ understanding of the
course material.
In Barnard’s partnership with HEAF, BA was used in
modular form to gather physical evidence and historical
background on a suspected contamination event (i.e., leakage
of gasoline from an underground storage tank) that resulted
in the contamination of the aquifer in a fictitious municipality, Moraine Township. The HEAF students assumed the
role of environmental consulting firms with a fixed budget
to accumulate evidence about a parcel of land intended for
a commercial shopping mall and to report the feasibility of
using the property for that purpose. Through the integration of maps, documents, videos, and an extensive network
of scientific data, the students in teams of three and working
with a Barnard undergraduate mentor engaged with a virtual
town of residents, business owners, and local government
officials as well as a suite of geophysical testing tools in the
simulation. Like real-world environmental consultants, students had to develop and apply expertise from a wide range
of fields, including environmental science and engineering as
well as journalism, medicine, public health, law, civics, economics, and business management. The overall objective was
for the students to gain an unprecedented appreciation of the
Bower, et. al:, Dissemination of the Brownfield Action Simulation 8
science education and civic engagement 6:1 winter 2014
time with mentor guidance than from the full group lecture
components of the curriculum.
Typically, students execute the “learn and apply process,”
where they learn in class and apply these concepts to a onetime lab exercise and exam before moving on to the next topic.
However, with BA, the students are enthusiastic about applying what they have learned in a more interesting, realistic, and
interactive format. Since the implementation of BA, students
have been more receptive, and it has sparked more questions
and comments than ever before. The students’ questions have
also demonstrated a deeper understanding of the subject matter than with traditional textbook work. The students are also
able to incorporate problem-solving skills, exercise leadership
skills and management strategies, and work collaboratively.
Moreover, they are able to recognize the social and economic
ramifications of pollution. In addition, BA’s demonstration of
the work of an environmental site investigator has, on more
than one occasion, inspired students of mine to pursue the
field of environmental science in college. Since my students
are all college bound, the fact that Brownfield Action inspires
interest in this field, particularly now when we need the next
generation to be environmentally conscious, is gratifying and
demonstrates the value of Brownfield Action within a high
school curriculum.
Briane Sorice Miccio, Professional Children’s School
Brownfield Action has been used for four years in a high
school Environmental Science class consisting of students in
grades 10, 11, and 12. The class met 40 minutes each day, five
days a week for seven weeks. During this time, the students
investigated the gasoline plume emanating from the BTEX
gas station and then wrote a Phase II ESA.
BA has been an invaluable tool in demonstrating many
of the concepts covered in the curriculum. It has given the
students a “hands-on” opportunity to put into practice the
topics and skills they have learned. They were able to study a
number of concepts, including groundwater movement (porosity, permeability, D’Arcy’s Law), topography and contour
mapping, and the chemical and physical properties of gasoline, while simultaneously experiencing how the knowledge
of these concepts can be applied in a real-world situation.
There was also an in-class demonstration of the movement
of a contamination plume through a cross section of an aquifer, as well as a sediment size analysis using sieves to separate
a sediment sample “taken” from the ground near the BTEX
gas station. Students were able to physically see the different
components of sediment and relate the different sized particles to the speed with which groundwater, and any inclusive
contamination, is able to flow. With BA, students are able to
learn, apply their knowledge in an ongoing interdisciplinary
exercise, and see how all of these separate concepts taught
in environmental science class tie together in the real world.
The Environmental Science course has been taught for
seven years with BA being used for the past four years. BA
made a tremendous difference, satisfying both the goals of
the curriculum as well as enhancing student interest. Students are given the opportunity to investigate the environmental, social, and economic issues facing a community that
is forced to deal with a brownfield and contamination of the
local environment. New York City has over 40,000 brownfield sites, many of which are unknown to its residents. When
students who live in the city work with BA, whose narrative
deals with the ramifications of contamination in a small town,
they are able to gain a better understanding of the magnified
ramifications in a larger city. This, in turn, will make them
socially aware of the effects of a brownfield on the people
surrounding it.
Bower, et. al:, Dissemination of the Brownfield Action Simulation Bess Greenbaum, Columbia Grammar
and Preparatory School
Columbia Grammar & Prep is a private K-12 school in Manhattan, NY. The Brownfield Action simulation was utilized
in two sections of the yearlong environmental science elective
course, open to juniors and seniors. (One section had nine
students; the other had 14. All of the 23 students were in
either 11th or 12th grade, except for one in 10th grade). The
high school students investigated the gasoline plume and associated drinking water well contamination portion of BA
simulation. The goal of the project was to engage the students in some real methodologies used to detect and delineate contaminant plumes.
Students completed the investigation in teams of two or
three over seven weeks. Groups were chosen by the instructor,
who had, at this point, a fairly good sense of each student’s
ability and motivation level. In order to avoid the common
pitfall of one student in the group doing all the work, students were grouped according to similar ability and motivation levels. This was a successful tactic. First, students were
introduced to the concepts of brownfields and superfund sites.
Then, they were shown how to log onto and navigate the BA
9
science education and civic engagement 6:1 winter 2014
computer simulation and the features for each new test. The
students found the online interface to be very user-friendly.
Each team conducted tests and made maps of the gasoline
plume, but each student was responsible for submitting their
own final four- to six-page report along with four hard-copy
maps. One map was a basic site map, and three were topographic maps of the site highlighting different data: surface
topography, bedrock topography, and water table elevations.
Students utilized two tests for contamination provided in the
simulation: soil gas sampling and analysis and drill/push testing. Prior to conducting these tests, the instructor spent two
or three class periods discussing with the students the major
components and characteristics of gasoline. Students discovered that gasoline is a mixture of many substances, each with
its own physical and chemical properties. We discussed that
gasoline contained floating, volatile, and water soluble parts.
For this investigation, we focused on two tests for the presence of gasoline provided in the simulation. First, the Soil Gas
Sampling and Analysis (SGSA) tested for hexane, a volatile
component found in the air pockets of the soil. The second
test detected the presence or absence of benzene, a water-soluble component. Once the presence of hexane in the soil was
confirmed, students used the Drilling and Direct Push test
to see if there was any benzene in the groundwater. Students
learned that the tests were performed in this order because
it was financially practical; if gasoline had not been present
in the soil, it would have likely been wasteful to perform the
more expensive and time-consuming test on the groundwater.
The final report submitted by each student had three main
parts: (1) a summary letter to the EPA outlining reasons for,
and results of, their investigation; (2) a description of investigation methods, testing procedures, and data; and (3) analysis
and interpretation of the data.
Students varied widely in their spatial visualization
abilities. Some were quite challenged by creating and understanding the meaning of the hand-drawn topographic maps.
While tedious, this tactile and methodical process improved
student understanding of mapping; however, comprehending the meaning of the aerial view of the plot of the hexane
data (from soil gas measurements) and the cross-sectional
view of the benzene data in the groundwater contaminant
plume was not so obvious for some. The concept that each
contamination map represented a different orientation (either cross-section or aerial view) of the contaminant plume
was repeatedly emphasized. Students understood why there
Bower, et. al:, Dissemination of the Brownfield Action Simulation was a need to test for a volatile compound (hexane) in the
soil and a soluble one (benzene) in the water table, but their
understanding of sediment properties and the movement of
groundwater was simplistic.
The BA simulation was a good classroom experience.
Based on observations, students enjoyed the self-paced group
work. Two adjustments for future use are suggested. First,
introduce exercises in spatial orientation earlier on in the year.
This would help students grasp the concept of topographic
maps more easily, and they would be better equipped to identify and draw contour lines based on elevation points. Second,
the experience could be enhanced with hands-on demonstrations of sediment size class and porosity/permeability of
different sediments. These adjustments would likely allow
students to take a more independent role in the investigation,
and require less instructor guidance as they investigate the
task at hand.
Although students were given a budget, the focus was on
completing the Phase II investigation—regardless of cost.
Some students were initially mindful of how much each test
cost, but once they knew that it did not really matter how
much they spent, they no longer paid attention to this feature
of the simulation. Students did, however, take advantage of
the Moraine township history and interviews with the citizens in order to make their final assessment and report. Another tactic that might improve student autonomy and the
BA experience would be to have them work together to figure
out the most logical order of steps to take in the investigation
process. A class discussion of crime shows or A Civil Action
would facilitate this. Once they reach consensus on a logical
way to carry out the investigation, they could be introduced
to the simulation’s tools.
Teaching Environmental Science
Students Fundamentals of Hydrology
and Environmental Site Assessment
Bret Bennington, Hofstra University
Brownfield Action (BA) is used throughout the entire semester in both an undergraduate hydrology course (Hydrology
121) and a graduate hydrogeology course (Hydrogeology 674).
These are combined lecture/laboratory courses taken by students pursuing degrees in geology, environmental science, or
sustainability studies, most of whom are motived by an interest in applying science to solving environmental problems but
10 science education and civic engagement 6:1 winter 2014
who have little prior experience in groundwater science. Students are assigned to groups of three or four to form consulting teams. Teams are provided class time each week during
laboratory to meet and coordinate online work performed individually outside of class hours. Students use the simulation
to conduct a Phase I ESA (Environmental Site Assessment),
and each group is required to make a presentation to the rest
of the class detailing their findings and to submit a Phase I
ESA report midway through the term. During the second
half of the semester the teams work on a Phase II investigation. Final group presentations communicating the results
of the Phase II investigation are made at the end of the term,
and each student is required to submit an individual Phase
II ESA report for evaluation. Students use critical feedback
from the assessment of the Phase I materials to improve their
Phase II presentation and reports.
A useful attribute of the BA simulation is that important
hydrologic concepts introduced in lectures and labs can be incorporated into different stages of the online BA investigation,
providing students the opportunity to practice applying these
concepts in realistic, problem-solving activities. For example,
in one laboratory exercise, students measure the porosity and
hydraulic conductivity of a sediment sample obtained (hypothetically) from the abandoned Self-Lume factory site in the
BA simulation. In another exercise, students learn how to
calculate the direction and magnitude of a hydraulic gradient
from hydraulic head data collected from monitoring wells. As
part of their Phase I and Phase II investigations, students
use these sedimentological measurements and groundwater
analytical methods, in combination with data obtained in the
online simulation, to calculate flow volume and seepage velocity beneath the Self-Lume site to assess potential impacts to
the town water supply well. Students must also incorporate
into their investigations knowledge of groundwater law and
the regulations and standards governing environmental investigations, methods of aquifer testing and analysis, and the
behavior of different forms of groundwater contaminants. To
complete their ESA investigations within the BA simulation,
students are thus required to integrate a wide range of data,
methods, and concepts learned across the course.
Navigating the BA simulation also introduces students to
the different components of civil government and the variety
of agencies and departments involved in regulating and maintaining public health and groundwater quality. Students are
drawn into the simulation by the authenticity of the online
Bower, et. al:, Dissemination of the Brownfield Action Simulation world provided, which is supported by realistic, richly detailed documents, newspaper articles, videos, and video and
text interviews with public officials. It is a revelation to most
students that so much useful information on potential environmental problems can be obtained just from interviews
and municipal documents. In addition, the BA simulation
provides many opportunities for students to develop critical
thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as professional
and technical skills, most importantly the ability to interpret,
summarize, and effectively communicate technical information. As part of their course requirements, students must
produce two formal, professionally written and formatted
technical reports, and one informal and one formal oral presentation, and they must draft topographic, water table, and
bedrock contour maps, as well as maps summarizing data
from different aquifer tests and analyses. Finally, students
gain valuable experience working cooperatively as part of
a team focused on solving problems on time and within a
reasonable budget. (Student teams are billed for all activities
within the simulation and are assessed on how cost-effective
their investigations are.)
In the past year and a half students were surveyed to
determine their perceptions of the effectiveness of BA as a
teaching tool. Student response to the BA simulation has
been overwhelmingly positive, with a large majority of students indicating that BA was successful in facilitating student
learning and providing experience with data analysis, interpretation, and problem solving (see Figure 3). More recently,
in the fall of 2013, a SENCER Student Assessment of Learning Gains (SALG) instrument was deployed in the Hydrology 121 course at Hofstra University (nineteen undergraduate geology and environmental resources majors) to assess
student gains in understanding and skills derived from their
experiences with the semester environmental site assessment
project built around the Brownfield Action simulation. Results from this assessment indicate moderate to large gains
in understanding of course content (Figure 4) and relevant
cognitive skills (Figure 5) learned and practiced while working with the BA simulation.
Many students report that BA increased their interest in
pursuing hydrogeology and environmental consulting as a
career (although some have also indicated that they learned
from using BA that this was not the career path for them).
Students have also reported that knowledge and experience
of how to conduct Phase I and Phase II ESA investigations
11 science education and civic engagement 6:1 winter 2014
obtained through the BA simulation have
been a very positive factor in interviews for
jobs in environmental consulting. As one
student wrote, “The Brownfield Action
simulation not only helped me define a career goal, but it also helped me land a job
in the environmental field. The skills and
knowledge I gained through the simulation
not only made my résumé look stronger to
future employers but it allowed me to impress interviewers through conversation.
Many potential employers were impressed
by the fact that I knew enough about fedfigure 3. Average student responses to questions asking them to rate the
effectiveness of the Brownfield Action simulation for aiding student learning.
eral regulations and environmental conResponses ranged from 1 (most negative) to 10 (most positive). Error bars
cepts to even just carry on a discussion
indicate average +/- one standard deviation.
about Environmental Site Assessments.”
The BA simulation has proven to be
an effective teaching tool for three main
reasons. It recreates the ambiguity of realworld problem solving by providing students with an open-ended set of environmental problems, and it requires that they
apply what they have learned in the classroom without ever being told exactly what
to do. It provides a richly detailed and
realistic virtual world that students find
interesting and that engages their curiosity by presenting them with realistic environmental problems to solve. Finally, the
BA simulation provides a framework for
demonstrating key concepts developed in
figure 4. Changes from the beginning to the end of the semester in the mean
(d
Mean) and standard deviation (d Std dev) value of responses to questions
hydrology/hydrogeology courses. Because
asking students to rate their understanding of environmental and hydrologic
much of the lecture instruction in these
concepts learned in the course working with the Brownfield Action simulation. An
courses involves the mathematical analysis
increase in the mean of the responses indicates a gain in understanding relative
to
a 5 point scale. A decrease in the standard deviation value indicates greater
of groundwater flow, the students benefit
agreement among student responses.
from being able to apply concepts such as
hydraulic conductivity, hydraulic gradient, hydraulic head, and seepage velocity
Tamara Graham, Haywood Community College
to solve applied problems within the framework of the BA
Haywood Community College serves a predominantly rusimulation. This helps the students to better understand
ral community in the Appalachian Mountains roughly onethese concepts, and it greatly increases their interest and
half hour west of Asheville, North Carolina. Haywood’s
engagement in hydrogeology. Students routinely comment
Low
Impact Development (LID) Program was launched
on how much they enjoy working in the simulation and
in 2009 to provide workforce training and resources to fosit has inspired a number of students to pursue careers in
ter more sustainable development in the region. Though
environmental consulting and groundwater remediation.
Bower, et. al:, Dissemination of the Brownfield Action Simulation 12 science education and civic engagement 6:1 winter 2014
investment in terms of sustainability. Brownfields are among the most contaminated sites
environmentally, and their remediation spurs
reinvestment in otherwise dilapidated urban
areas, creating walkable, vibrant spaces for living and working where infrastructure already
exists, rather than necessitating further encroachment of development on rural land or
“greenfields.”
In addition to a Brownfield Action (BA)
training seminar held at Barnard College, the
BA website contains a User Section with curfigure 5. Changes from the beginning to the end of the semester in the mean
(d Mean) and standard deviation (d Std dev) value of responses to questions asking
riculum resources that have been have been
students to rate their ability to apply academic skills learned or practiced in the
an invaluable, engaging resource for developcourse working with the Brownfield Action simulation. An increase in the mean of
ing Haywood’s LID 230 course. In the spring
the responses indicates a gain in ability relative to a 5 point scale. A decrease in the
standard deviation value indicates greater agreement among student responses.
semester of 2011 and 2012, BA resources were
first introduced at approximately week five of
the LID Program is relatively new, it is part of the College’s
the sixteen-week semester course, with a close reading of A
highly regarded Natural Resources Management DepartCivil Action. The shared curricula and resources, such as readment, which has offered two-year associate degrees and proing guides made available in the BA User Section, provided
fessional certificates in Forestry, Horticulture, and Fish and
students with compelling historical background on the oriWildlife for more than 40 years. The LID Program complegins of current brownfields programs. Building on this founments these established programs by offering students the
dation, in the final third of the semester students worked in
opportunity to study innovative strategies for mitigating the
small teams with the simulation to develop a Phase I ESA
impact of development on natural systems, particularly the
Report and supporting topographic and inventory maps.
hydrologic cycle.
The BA video interviews, narrative, and interactive simulaLID 230, The Remediation of Impacted Sites, is a required
tion piqued student interest and facilitated understanding
course in the LID Program that surveys issues related to enof the complex, interdisciplinary, even labyrinthine nature of
vironmental contamination from the Industrial Revolution in
environmental remediation. Site exploration afforded by the
the nineteenth century to contemporary 21st-century brownsimulation allowed LID students to work at their own pace
fields remediation programs:
to cultivate attention to detail (careful detective work) while
simultaneously being mindful of the bigger picture. Coupled
This course is designed to familiarize students with
with students’ study of case studies of local remediation projvarious scale remediation projects to enhance unects, the simulation effectively conveyed the complex and inderstanding of the role environmental repair has in
terrelated political, environmental, economic, and social facsustainable development. Emphasis will be placed on
tors at issue in environmentally contaminated sites and the
case studies that cover soil and water remediation efnecessity of collaboration among diverse entities to facilitate
forts necessitated by residential, commercial, indusremediation and reuse.
trial, governmental, and agricultural activity. Upon
Rather than appearing trite in the face of the somber topic,
completion, students will be able to discuss and utilize
the playful nature of the simulation, with myriad puns and
the tools and technologies used in a variety of soil and
entertaining diversions woven through the narrative, helped
water remediation projects. (Course description from
to engage students and demystify the otherwise intimidating
HCC Catalog & Handbook)
content. The fear of the effects of environmental contamiFrom the perspective of LID, the remediation of brownnation and intimidation regarding the process are perhaps
field sites offers communities perhaps the greatest return on
the largest factors hindering collaborative public and private
Bower, et. al:, Dissemination of the Brownfield Action Simulation 13 science education and civic engagement 6:1 winter 2014
action to remediate sites. The BA simulation effectively addresses these barriers through its appealing, approachable
format, effectively fostering collaboration among students to
address complex problems and work toward solutions.
The BA simulation has provided an engaging learning opportunity for HCC’s students. Several LID graduates have obtained employment with local and regional planning agencies,
where their experience with the BA simulation has proven
invaluable in addressing complex brownfields projects in their
respective communities. HCC appreciates the opportunity to
integrate this innovative simulation into our curriculum and
is eager to assist Barnard College in expanding its access as
an educational resource to further sustainable development
goals in the region.
of many of the components of a Phase I site investigation.
Several former students who now work in the groundwater
consulting industry have said that they greatly appreciated the
background they developed using the simulation.
In my class, students are divided into groups of two or
three and are asked to investigate the contamination at the
BTEX gasoline station. The students are required to determine whether contamination exists and to delineate the nature,
extent, and source of contamination. Students are encouraged
to use the soil gas sampling and analysis tool and to determine
a rough map of where volatile organic compound concentrations are highest. The students are then required to install
at least three shallow wells and one deep well to document
the approximate source of the contamination and direction
of flow in both the horizontal and vertical directions. Drilling location and well placement are important decisions for a
successful project, and students often display a great deal of
trepidation when they begin to install monitoring wells. The
cost of a poorly placed well is an important reason for this. As
someone who has stressed over drilling holes for real monitoring wells, I know that the angst that students display is a good
indication that BA realistically simulates the decision-making
atmosphere. The students then use the survey instruments,
sample analysis options, and the resulting data to produce
maps of the BTEX gasoline contamination plume and the
free-product plume. Students complete a group report that
presents their findings.
Douglas M. Thompson, Connecticut College
The Brownfield Action (BA) simulation has provided an important component of the course Environmental Studies/
Geophysics 210: Hydrology at Connecticut College since the
fall of 2004. Attendance at a Brownfield Action seminar the
previous year showed that the simulation was an ideal means
to replace a paper-based simulation used previously. As an
experienced user of BA, I can confirm that it is a wonderful
learning tool that has brought a very realistic group activity to
my classroom. The program also does a very good job helping students develop the scientific background and confidence
needed to find employment in the groundwater consulting industry. More importantly,
students enjoy the BA module and learn a
great deal about basic project management
and group collaboration skills that apply to
a range of disciplines.
My first job after college was as a Project
Geologist for a groundwater consulting company in New England. It was a good first job,
but my undergraduate geology major and
hydrology course had not prepared me for
the types of decisions faced on the job. Years
later as an instructor of a hydrology course,
it was important that I share my consulting
experiences in order to help prepare undergraduates for what can be a very good
job opportunity after graduation. The BA
figure 6. The Brownfield Action “playing field” in the reconnaissance mode visiting
simulation provides an excellent replication
the BTEX gas station.
Bower, et. al:, Dissemination of the Brownfield Action Simulation 14 science education and civic engagement 6:1 winter 2014
To supplement the basic materials supplied with the computer simulation, the program is augmented with additional
data sources and activities. Existing documents as well as
newly created documents are placed as a reserve in our library to replicate the task of going to government buildings
to search municipal and state records. Each group is provided
with a small sample of loess and asked to classify the soil
based on a textural method. Students are taken on a field trip
to the campus power station to see two large underground
storage tanks. A mock site visit is also made there to identify potential sources of contamination and locations where
monitoring wells might be installed. The BA simulation is
also used as a means to demonstrate the basic principles of
Darcy’s Flow and hydraulic conductivity learned in the class.
The students are asked to complete an estimate of the rate of
groundwater movement based on some simulated pump test
data created for this purpose and the groundwater table slope
they determine from their BA wells.
BA provides an excellent opportunity for students to understand how the site assessment process is approached. The
simulation adds a sense of realism to the sometimes abstract
topics learned. BA has become a very important component
of Environmental Studies/Geophysics 210: Hydrology, and
the program will be used as long as its software is viable.
In the first phase, students strictly follow ASTM Standard E 1527-13 (formerly E 1527-05). After completing site
reconnaissance, records review, and interviews (no sampling
is allowed except for Topographic Surveys), students document their findings, opinions, and conclusions following the
ASTM specified report format. In the second phase, students
choose two Recognized Environmental Conditions (RECs)
to be investigated following ASTM Standard E 1903-11. The
2011 revision of this standard prescribes application of the
scientific method to evaluate RECs. To begin this process,
students must schedule an interview with their client (the
course instructors) to recommend Objectives, Questions to be
answered, Hypotheses to be tested, Areas to be investigated, a
Conceptual Model for contaminant migration including target
analytics, a proposed Sampling Plan, and an estimated Budget.
During the interview, one course instructor plays the role of a
naïve business manager focused on liability and budget issues,
while the second course instructor plays the role of an environmental manager who asks probing technical questions.
After receiving client authorization, student teams proceed
to implement their sampling plan and complete the Phase II
ESA. In our experience, the role play exercise adds another
realistic dimension to the BA simulation by providing students practice in communicating technical information and
recommendations to clients in an oral format (in addition to
writing professional reports).
Most recently, Gianluca Sperone, a co-instructor in the
WSU course, developed an effective innovation by utilizing
ESRI ArcGIS tools to perform the Phase I ESA analysis.
After converting available materials from the BA simulation
into ArcGIS Geodatabase format, he mapped the information accessible to student investigators during the Phase I
site visit and interview process. Subsequently, he used the
ArcGIS Spatial Analyst Extension to model potential subsurface contaminant migration in the event of a release into
the BA simulation environment. In this way, Sperone was
able identify potential areas for Phase II ESA recommendations and demonstrate the utility of GIS tools to perform
analyses and prepare professional materials for communicating project results.
Feedback from our students has indicated that the authentic, realistic nature of the BA simulation greatly enhanced their ability to understand and apply the relevant
ASTM standards. One student wrote: “I thought the BA
simulation was invaluable to students. The Phase I ESA
Training Undergraduate and
Graduate Students in Advanced
Courses in Hydrology and
Environmental Remediation
Larry Lemke, Wayne State University
Brownfield Action was originally incorporated into GEL
5000—Geological Site Assessment—at Wayne State University during the Winter-2010 semester as part of an NSF
CAREER grant that focused on groundwater contamination
in previously glaciated urban areas. BA continues to play an
integral role in this course, which is offered to both graduate
students and upper division undergraduates and typically attracts 20 to 24 students each time it is offered. BA forms the
basis for a term project in much the same way that it is employed at Barnard College: teams of students at Wayne State
use the BA simulation as the basis for formulating Phase I
and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments and reports.
Bower, et. al:, Dissemination of the Brownfield Action Simulation 15 science education and civic engagement 6:1 winter 2014
level of students’ understanding achieved up to that point.
Students were able to get a panoramic view of the process,
from signing the initial contract to submitting a final report.
Because everything they did in the simulation cost them
money, they also experienced working within a budget. The
BA simulation will be used in the future starting in the Phase
I course offered in the fall, and there are plans to adapt the BA
simulation for a geographic information systems platform in
the “Introduction to GIS” scheduled for the spring semester
2014. The latter will be in collaboration with Gianluca Sperone of Wayne State University.
knowledge gained from reading through the standard is reinforced with the game. It puts a practical twist on a document
that can be difficult to focus on (hooray for legal jargon!).
The experience will greatly aid students heading into consulting/government jobs.”
Angelo Lampousis, City University of New York
The Brownfield Action simulation and curriculum has been
used at two different colleges of the City University of New
York (CUNY). In both cases BA was adopted at the undergraduate and graduate levels of the course “Phase II Environmental Site Assessments” (City College of New York EAS
31402 [undergraduate] and EAS B9235 [graduate], Hunter
College GEOG 383 [undergraduate] and GEOG 705 [graduate]). The combined number of students introduced to the
BA simulation to date is 24. The academic background of
the students involved ranged from geology, environmental
sciences, and geography, to urban planning and sustainability.
The BA simulation was used as a refresher for the Phase
I process, since most students had already completed the
Phase I environmental site assessment course that is also
a prerequisite for the Phase II course. The BA simulation
served this purpose exceptionally well. Students had the
opportunity to experience and practice a realistic interview
component of writing Phase I reports as they interacted with
the characters of the simulation. This addressed a specific gap
in the CUNY curriculum that, while strong in using real data
on real estate properties located in New York City (Lampousis 2012), treated interviews as a data gap (i.e., per ASTM
designation E1527 – 05) due to legal and other restrictions
on allowing college students to interact with property owners
in an unsupervised manner. The BA simulation addresses
this gap through its incorporation of a wide range of very
thoughtful fictional interviews. The BA simulation experience for CUNY students was realized through several homework assignments culminating in a Phase I report. Due to
time constraints, considerable amounts of information from
the simulation, including data for topography, depth to bedrock, and depth to water table, were made available to CUNY
students from the very beginning. Students were also assisted
by the instructor in their construction of a conceptual site
model.
Overall, the adoption of the BA simulation within the
two CUNY colleges greatly reinforced student learning on
the topic of environmental site assessments. The BA simulation provided an opportunity to test the knowledge and
Bower, et. al:, Dissemination of the Brownfield Action Simulation Saugata Datta, Kansas State University
Brownfield Action has been used at Kansas State University
(KSU) since 2009 for the undergraduate and graduate students in the lecture and laboratory courses of Hydrogeology
(GEOL 611, with an average of 20 students mainly from the
geology, biology, agricultural and civil engineering departments), Introduction to Geochemistry (GEOL 605/705, 10
students, mainly from the geology, agronomy, and chemistry
departments), and Water Resources Geochemistry (GEOL
711, eight students from veterinary medicine, geology, and
agronomy). All three have been offered as interdisciplinary
courses.
In Hydrogeology, BA is utilized as the foundation for a
one-month practicum. Students work in teams of three and
are given complete access to the BA simulation and website including all data and documents. Student teams must
choose a topic or specific problem to be solved within the
BA simulation. Topics range from using the BA simulation
and database for a Phase I ESA of the Self-Lume property
or the BTEX Gas Station, for flow net exercises to delineate various contaminant plumes (gasoline or tritium), for
simple permeameter measurements to understand hydraulic
conductivity, or for utilizing the many soil exploration tools
(drilling, seismic reflection and refraction, ground penetrating radar, soil gas) to determine plume location and its migration paths, and chemical characteristics of different contaminants. Lectures are developed based on the topics chosen.
Each team is required to write a report on their findings and
evaluate what they have learned from their practical experience with the simulation. Poster sessions have often been
assigned so that students may share their experiences using
the BA simulation with other students to demonstrate how
different methods and principles are used to solve complex
16 science education and civic engagement 6:1 winter 2014
hydrological problems. Additional faculty members
are invited to these poster presentations and interact
with and question the student teams.
In Geochemistry, BA is used for one month as
a case study as part of the final project. Students
use BA in order to understand the chemical characteristics of organic contaminants, the chemistry of
groundwater, and the use of various field or laboratory geochemical analytical tools to measure various
contaminants, map these contaminants in the surficial soil cover, and create hydrochemical maps with
piper diagrams for various inorganic contaminants.
Students learn how different plumes will mix or impact each other. BA allows students to develop a clear
understanding of the composition of different configure 7. The Brownfield Action “playing field” in Testing Mode with zoom
function applied and magnetometry/metal detection measurements being
taminants and their MCLs in the environment.
made.
In Water Resources Geochemistry, BA has been
used in collaboration with other users of BA from
hiring of these students by government agencies and has also
Lafayette College (LC) and Wayne State University (WSU).
led to a dialogue with these agencies on how to use BA within
Students are assigned to investigate BA in order to write
communities they serve that are affected by brownfields.
Phase I and II ESA reports. There are invited lectures from
within KSU as well as video lectures transmitted by instrucArthur D. Kney, Lafayette College
tors from LC and WSU. Students from KSU present their
Over the last seven years the Civil and Environmental Engifindings to students in an Environmental Engineering course
neering (CE) program at Lafayette College has used Brownat LC and a geology course at WSU, who in turn present their
field Action successfully in two courses: Environmental
findings to the KSU students. Working with instructors from
Engineering and Science (CE 321) and Environmental Site
WSU, students at KSU learn how to use ARC GIS on the BA
Assessment (CE 422). CE 321 is an introductory course, and
database. The topics in this video conferenced course evolved
BA is used to introduce the issues of brownfields, remediation,
from the joint use of MODFLOW and Groundwater Modeland environmental regulations. CE 422 is a course in which
ing Systems (EMS-i) in tracing groundwater contaminants in
students learn how to do Phase I Environmental Site Assessthe BA aquifer.
ments (ESAs) consistent with ASTM 1527. Because most of
Typical student comments about the use of BA include:
the fundamental science needed to understand and participate
“One of the greatest ways to connect to a real world problem
in the BA scenario is taught to CE students throughout their
and it was interesting how we were acting as consultants, and
first few years of our CE program, use of BA in CE 321 and 422
tried not to leak ideas to the other groups,” and, “I learnt more
is targeted at applying their accumulated fundamental skills
about the application of Darcy’s law when I was taught with
and knowledge in a realistic simulation in addition to teaching
BA, even the water table characteristics, and the direction
the details of the ESA process. Following a two-week exercise
of groundwater flow were more clear when BA was demonutilizing BA, students are prepared to do a real-time site asstrated to us.” Students also commented on how they learned
sessment on neighboring properties.
to work as a consultant and that one cannot make mistakes
My experience has shown that BA is very applicable to
that might result in losing the contract or not making a profit.
the field of civil engineering from initial investigation through
Several students have gone to job interviews and used BA to
remediation and that the interdisciplinary, realistic nature of
demonstrate their knowledge of ESAs and to respond to quesBA provides an effective tool with which to teach aspiring civil
tions from the interviewers. BA played a significant role in the
and environmental engineers. Connections to the practice of
Bower, et. al:, Dissemination of the Brownfield Action Simulation 17 science education and civic engagement 6:1 winter 2014
civil engineering are played out in numerous scenarios
in BA. For example, understanding how chemicals move
through the water and soil is made evident through models that civil engineers are taught in water quality and
water resource classes. Methods and practices used in
remediation are common themes taught in upper level
environmental engineering courses. Additionally, ESAs
must be accomplished by an “Environmental Professional”
as outlined in the US CFR 40:312.21. BA provides a wonderful storyline linked to believable data that ties together
individuals and their community with industry and very
real economic and environmental concerns. In order to
piece together the truth, critical thinking skills must be
used to interpret and communicate the significance of
data obtained from the simulation.
In CE 422 especially, the incorporation of BA has
tremendously improved student understanding of the
ESA process as compared to classes taught prior to use
of BA. Anecdotal evidence from student conversations,
faculty observations, student test scores, and the fact that
BA continues to be a central part of CE 422 all support
this statement. Beyond CE 321 and 422, students have
reported that BA has strengthened their ESA skills in
senior-level design projects and has provided evidence of
competence when applying for jobs. In fact, it is not uncommon to hear that students have not only gotten jobs
because of their ESA skills but have also gone on to perform ESAs in their jobs. Because of these reports from
students, future plans include introducing some form of
an ESA course for engineering professionals. Incorporating BA would be integral, because of the fact that one can
quickly comprehend the overall ESA process through the
interactive, informative framework of the simulation.
As part of the collaborative network, Saugata Datta
from Kansas State University (see above) and I have used
BA to complement several courses. Our most recent
course development is a team-taught course module between Kansas State and Lafayette. Graduate and undergraduates from both institutions have worked together
reconstructing plume flow via groundwater models like
MODFLOW and Groundwater Modeling System
(EMS-i), using data from the BA simulation. Students
connect the groundwater solution to the models in the
existing BA simulation and make the BA narrative come
alive as they learn how the various chemical and kinetics
Bower, et. al:, Dissemination of the Brownfield Action Simulation principles of contaminants behave throughout the BA
storyline. In addition, other collaborative engagements
have blossomed through BA team interactions, such as a
recent set of academic video discussions between Wayne
State University, Kansas State University, and Lafayette
College students and faculty revolving around the overuse
of key nutrients, phosphorous and nitrogen. Consistent
with professional practice, future plans include developing a workshop open to environmental professionals interested in learning how to conduct ESAs. BA would be
used to help professionals connect to the task at hand just
as it has been used in CE 422.
Discussion
Assessing the Effectiveness of the
Brownfield Action Simulation
All faculty using BA in their courses report high levels of
student engagement with the simulation and increased
confidence in students’ ability to understand and apply
science to solve problems. Although a simulation, BA is
grounded in civil, legal, and scientific reality such that experience gained through BA is directly applicable to the
real world. This is demonstrated by the many students
who report that BA has assisted them in gaining employment as environmental professionals. Other important
professional and conceptual skills reported being taught
and learned in the context of the BA simulation include
data visualization, map-making, budgeting, formal report writing, making formal oral presentations, as well as
decision-making, dealing with ambiguity, teamwork, and
networking in information gathering.
Reliable summative assessment of the pedagogical
effectiveness of the BA simulation has not yet been performed due to the lack of appropriate control groups (the
courses discussed above are not taught in multiple sections with some instructors using BA and some not) and
a lack of appropriate data on student performance prior
to the adoption of BA in courses. However, a variety of
formative assessments of the BA simulation were incorporated throughout the design and initial use of BA at
Barnard College to provide feedback and confirmation
of the effectiveness of the simulation (Bower et al. 2011).
We are currently developing and testing a survey-based
formative assessment utilizing the SENCER SALG tool
18 science education and civic engagement 6:1 winter 2014
available online (http://www.sencer.net/assessment/
sencersalg.cfm). A SENCER SALG instrument consists of a pre- and post-course survey taken online that
provides instructors with useful, formative feedback for
improving their teaching. A SALG instrument provides
a snapshot of student skills and attitudes at the start and
end of courses, allowing instructors to gauge the effectiveness of teaching strategies, methods, and activities such as
the BA simulation (Seymour et al. 2000). A preliminary
version of a SALG instrument designed to measure student learning gains resulting from working with the BA
simulation has recently been deployed by Bret Bennington and analysis of the results show marked gains from
the beginning to the end of the semester (see discussion
above). At the next meeting of BA users in the spring of
2014 we will finalize this SALG instrument and begin
deploying versions of it to measure the impact of BA on
student learning in a variety of educational settings and
applications.
of new possibilities for furthering the BA simulation using 3-D gaming technologies.
It is apparent from the above reports that users continue to develop new ways of using BA to teach science
in the context of civic engagement. While BA was not developed to teach GIS, the work done in this area suggests
that the BA simulation can be easily adapted to enhance
GIS instruction. The data- and context-rich virtual world
of BA provides an ideal tool for realizing SENCER goals
for teaching science through important civic issues and
motivating students to learn and understand basic science. Environmental contamination and brownfields are
universal problems in today’s world and incorporate civic
issues to which every student can relate. BA provides a
virtual world and narrative in which students figure out
for themselves how to apply basic scientific concepts
learned in a course to solve real, practical problems. There
is significant potential for further growth of the community of BA users but it is also apparent that BA must
undergo significant technological change to bring it up
to date with new advances in online delivery and learning
technology. A “next-generation” Brownfield Action project is in the early stages of development in order to create
a more interactive, 3-D game-based learning environment
for the simulation. We would also like to add new data
to the simulation, expanding the range of environmental
toxins represented to include dense non-aqueous phase
liquids (DNAPLS) and nitrates, two major sources of
groundwater contamination. Developing the next generation of BA will require funding, and appropriate documentation of learning gains will be needed to make a case
for continued investment in BA. To this end we are currently developing standardized student assessment tools
using the SENCER SALG that will be deployed across
the community of BA adopters. But most importantly,
improvement of the Brownfield Action simulation will
be facilitated through expansion of the community of
instructors who use BA in their courses and who will
continue to develop innovative approaches that can be
shared across the BA collaborative network.
Ongoing Work and Future Directions
The tenth in a series of seminars and training sessions
for Brownfield Action will be held at Barnard College in
April of 2014. Most of the early seminars were devoted
to training new users of the simulation and to troubleshooting problems existing users were having. As the simulation evolved, two new versions of BA were produced
making the simulation web-based, enhancing the features
of the “playing field,” and developing a “modularized” version that is more adaptable to creative new uses. While
new users are still being trained, the ninth seminar held
in the spring of 2013 was devoted primarily to the sharing of experiences teaching with BA and presenting new
applications of BA developed by current users. These
included using the data in the BA simulation to teach
modeling and analysis using GIS, using the simulation to
teach undergraduates about Phase I Environmental Site
Assessments incorporating GIS, the use of the gasoline
contaminant plume in the simulation as the basis for a
six-week unit on toxins and environmental site investigations for high school students, the creation of evaluation tools for the assessment of the effectiveness of BA in
an undergraduate hydrogeology course, the modeling of
groundwater contaminant plumes from the BA database
as part of graduate level student exercises, and discussion
Bower, et. al:, Dissemination of the Brownfield Action Simulation About the Authors
Peter Bower, conservationist and educator,
is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of
19 science education and civic engagement 6:1 winter 2014
Environmental Science at Barnard College/Columbia
University, where he has taught for 28 years. He has been
involved in research, conservation, and education in the
Hudson River Valley for 35 years. He is the former Mayor
of Teaneck, New Jersey, where he served on the City
Council, Planning Board, and Environmental Commission for eight years. He received his B.S. in geology from
Yale, M.A. in geology from Queens, and Ph.D. in geochemistry from Columbia. Barnard College, 3009 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10027; pb119@columbia.edu
taught for seventeen years at Connecticut College in the
Environmental Studies program and has written one
book, over 30 scientific articles and book chapters, and
made over 50 scientific presentations. He currently serves
as the Karla Heurich Harrison ‘28 Director of the Goodwin-Niering Center for the Environment at Connecticut
College. He received his B.A. from Middlebury College,
and his M.S. and Ph.D. from Colorado State University.
Connecticut College, 270 Mohegan Avenue, New London, CT 06320; dmtho@conncoll.edu
Ryan Kelsey is a Program Officer for Education at the Helmsley Trust, where he
focuses on national work in improving
educational practices, with a special emphasis on higher education, STEM learning, and effective uses of technology. Prior
to coming to the Trust, he spent thirteen years at the Columbia University Center for New Media Teaching and
Learning, most recently as the Director of Projects. Ryan
earned his Ed.D. and M.A. in Communication and Education from Teachers College and his B.S. in biology from
Santa Clara University. Helmsley Trust, 230 Park Avenue
Suite 659, New York NY 10169; rkelsey@helmsleytrust.
org
Angelo Lampousis is a Lecturer in the
Dept. of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
of the City College of New York. He is a
member of the ASTM subcommittee E50
and the task group responsible for developing the ASTM Standard E1527, Practice for Environmental Site Assessments. He received his B.S. in agriculture from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
and M.Phil. and Ph.D. from the Graduate Center of the
City University of New York. Dept. of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, City College of New York – CUNY, 160
Convent Avenue, Marshak 046, New York, NY 10031;
alampousis@ccny.cuny.edu
Bret Bennington conducts research in paleontology and regional geologic history at
Hofstra University where he has taught
for 20 years. In addition to paleontology,
he teaches courses in physical geology, historical geology, hydrology, geomorphology, and the history of evolutionary thought. He also co-directs a study
abroad program that brings students to the Galápagos
Islands and Ecuador to follow in the footsteps of Charles
Darwin in studying the relationships between ecology,
geology and evolution. He received his B.S. in biology /
geology from the Univ. of Rochester and his Ph.D. in paleontology from Virginia Tech. Hofstra University, 114
Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549-1140;
j.b.bennington@hofstra.edu
Joseph Liddicoat has been teaching Brownfield Action since it became part of the
Introductory Environmental Science
course at Barnard in 2000. He is now retired from Barnard but still teaches Astronomy, Chemistry, Environmental Science, and Global
Ecology at New York University where he has been an
Adjunct Professor of Science for nearly 25 years, and as a
SENCER Leadership Fellow has represented NYU at
the SENCER Summer Institutes since 2008. He received his B.A. in English Literature and Language from
Wayne State University and his M.A. and graduate degrees in Earth Science from Dartmouth College (M.A.)
and the University of California, Santa Cruz (Ph.D.).
Dept. of Environmental Science, Barnard College, 3009
Broadway, New York, NY 10027; jliddico@barnard.edu
Bess Greenbaum Seewald has taught middle and high school science for nine years.
She currently teaches high school level
biology and environmental science at
Douglas Thompson is a scientist trained in
the field of fluvial geomorphology. He has
Bower, et. al:, Dissemination of the Brownfield Action Simulation 20 science education and civic engagement 6:1 winter 2014
Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School in New York
City. Bess graduated from Barnard College in 2000 double majoring in Biology and Film Studies and received a
M.A. in secondary science education from The City College of New York. Columbia Grammar and Preparatory
School, 5 W 93rd St., New York NY 10025; bgreenbaum@cgps.org
University. He spent 12 years exploring for oil and gas in
the Rocky Mountains, the Gulf of Mexico, the North Sea,
and the Peoples’ Republic of China. At Wayne State, his
research focuses on modeling the fate and transport of
contaminants in groundwater, air, and soil in natural and
urban environments. He received a B.S. in geology from
Michigan State University, an M.S. in geosciences from
the Univ. of Arizona, an M.B.A. from the Univ. of Denver,
and a Ph.D. in environmental engineering from the Univ.
of Michigan. Wayne State University, 4841 Cass, Detroit,
MI 48202; ldlemke@wayne.edu
Arthur D. Kney is an Associate Professor
and Department Head in the Dept. of
Civil and Environmental Engineering at
Lafayette College. He has served as chair
of the Pennsylvania Water Environment
Association (PWEA) research committee and of the
Bethlehem Environmental Advisory Committee, vice
president of Lehigh Valley Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and secretary of ASCE/
Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI)
Water Supply Engineering Committee. He received his
Ph.D. in environmental engineering from Lehigh University in 1999 and his professional engineering license in
2007. Lafayette College, Dept. of Civil & Environmental
Engineering, Lafayette College, 740 High Street, Acopian
Engineering Center, Easton PA 18042; kneya@lafayette.
edu
Briane Sorice Miccio has taught environmental science at the Professional Children’s School for seven years. She received
her BA from Barnard College in Environmental Science and Education and her
MA in Climate Science from Columbia Univ. She has
worked at the New York State Dept. of Environmental
Conservation as well as the International Research Institute for Climate and Society at Columbia Univ. While at
Barnard, she used the Brownfield Action simulation as a
student and has successfully adapted the simulation in
her own classroom for the past 4 years, thereby creating
a curriculum for use by high school educators. Professional Children’s School, 132 West 60th Street, New York
NY 10023; briane.miccio@gmail.com
Saugata Datta is an Associate Professor of
Chemical Hydrogeology and Environmental Geochemistry in the Dept. of Geology in Kansas State University. He
teaches courses in hydrogeology, low temperature geochemistry, water resources, and soils and environmental quality with research expertise in trace element and oxyanion migration and contamination,
especially in groundwater, urban air particulates, subway
microenvironments, and unproductive soil environments.
He received his M.Sc. in geology from the Univ. of Calcutta and his Ph.D. in geochemistry from Univ. of Western Ontario, Canada. Kansas State University, Dept. of
Geology, 104 Thompson Hall, Manhattan, Kansas 66506;
sdatta@ksu.edu.
Tamara Graham is an Instructor in the
Department of Low Impact Development
and Natural Resources Management at
Haywood Community College. In her
work as a designer and project manager
for landscape architecture firms and in community development, she utilizes sustainable and smart growth planning approaches to create projects that simultaneously
accommodate sound development, contribute to a vibrant
sense of place, and strengthen community connections to
the environment. She has worked as a consultant on park
and greenway projects in Asheville, North Carolina. She
received her BA from Yale Univ. in art and architecture
and an M.L.A from the School of Environmental Design
at the Univ. of Georgia . Haywood Community College,
185 Freedlander Drive, Clyde, NC 28721; tagraham@haywood.edu
Larry Lemke is an Associate Professor of
Geology and Director of the Environmental Science Program at Wayne State
Bower, et. al:, Dissemination of the Brownfield Action Simulation 21 science education and civic engagement 6:1 winter 2014
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